John Marston's Unfinished Business
by Brickc16
Summary: Based after the main storyline of Undead Nightmare. John has unfinished business to attend to, he goes off to find Edgar Ross for some well needed revenge. Meanwhile Jack and Bonnie are looking for John.
1. The Rise of John Marstundead

**Prologue**

The year was 1911, Seth Briars was in Escalera and saw that there was a hole in the wall. His crazy treasure hunter mind was reeling. He ran into the hole and down into the deep undergrounds of the temple of Ayauhtéotl, an ancient Aztec goddess.

He walked by dead bodies and skeletons. Seth didn't mind of course, he spent most of his life digging through graves to find a map to the most valuable treasure in the world!... until it turned out to be a lousy glass eye! He picked through the bodies as he went, mumbling to himself the whole while, "Ooh, yeah, that'll be worth a pretty penny!"

It wasn't until he got to the end of the tunnel when things really got crazy. Seth walked in and looked around. He was terribly disappointed.

"What! A secret tunnel and no gut dang treasure!" He picked up a stone and threw it at the far wall. And with that the wall caved in and there was a hole.

"What's this?" Seth exclaimed. "Hehehe! A hollow wall! Lets see what we got here!"

Seth walked over to the hole. A mask was sitting on the alter. It was glowing a sickly green color. Seth's eyes lit up.

"Hehe!" he giggled. "Yes, yes, yes!" He grabbed the mask and turn and ran, but something strange happened. The dead bodies started to get back up. Seth stopped dead, and stared. He tried to move but he couldn't move. He just stood in the tunnel holding onto the mask for dear life. The undead ran, no, sprinted at him, growling and roaring. Seth let out a scream, and was tackled down by the undead, and silenced. The mask lay there lost, never to be found.

**Chapter 1**

Two months ago John Marston was found, shot, and killed by Uncle Sam. He was buried by his wife and son on a hill near their farm house. They buried him with a bottle of water that had significant powers, they didn't know what it did. But as John laid there in his tomb, his eyes shot open. He looked around seeing he was in a coffin. He remembered distinctly what had happened, he was shot in cold blood by Edgar Ross, two months ago. Even after he saved humanity, Uncle Sam couldn't leave him alone.

He pushed with all his might but he couldn't get the coffin open. Then as if it were all natural to him he punched up and his hand shot through the coffin and out of the ground. He pulled himself up out of the ground. Wiping the dirt off of his clothes he looked around, seeing a strange white horse with a strange white mist lingering around it. He walked up to it and touched it, he heard a voice in his head. It said:

_John Marston, you have been revived along with the rest of the dead, but what makes you different is that your soul was returned to earth so that you could deal with unfinished business. This horse is my own, I want you to have him, he is a trusty steed, he will follow you into even the most impossible situations. He is immortal and when he tramples on the undead he kills them instantly._

John climbed onto the horse and settled into the saddle, he fit naturally into it. He looked around to his house. He wanted nothing more than to go in and see his family, but knew he could not. To do so would cause his son Jack to react the way he would have, by shooting him in the head.

So John turned to the east, know where his unfinished business would take him. He needed to find and kill that lying, conniving, low-life Edgar Ross. He spurred his horse and headed for Blackwater, where he would begin his search.

He turned onto the road and heard a scream from his left, he turned and saw a woman being attacked by an undead, he steered his steed off course and stood over the pair, he took out his Cattleman revolver and shot the creature in the head.

The woman fell to the ground, face covered in blood. She looked up at her savior.

"Thank you kind sir!" she said, getting up. "I thought I was a goner, I thought this undead hell was over! They said a man named John Marston put a sacred mask back where it belonged in Mexico, after their crazed president took it from an ancient tomb. Please take this as a token of my-" She stopped, for just then the clouds moved, revealing the moon which shined down on John. She let out a terrible cry and fell back, terrified.

John looked down at his hands, seeing that he was decayed and horribly scarred. He looked back up at her and tried to speak, but all that came from his mouth was a bloodcurdling moan. The woman let out another scream and turned to run. She sprinted away from the undead man on his pale horse.

John turned his horse in the direction of Blackwater, how was he supposed to ask about Ross if he couldn't speak. Even if he could speak he wouldn't have time to say a word before a townsman shot his brains out. He rode to Blackwater nevertheless, thinking his luck would turn when he got there. He came to a halt when he heard a very familiar voice ring out into the night. John looked over at the side of the road to see his old associate Nigel West Dickens, on his carriage surrounded by undead.

"Get back you fowl beasts!" he yelled. Jabbing at them with a large stick. John rode over and focused hard, shooting each of the creatures in the head, one by one. They all fell, dead. West Dickens looked up to see who his savior was and luckily the clouds had covered the moon because John was once again in the shadows.

"John?" Dickens called. "John Marston is that you? How are you my dear boy!"

John spurred his horse lightly, stepping forward a few feet. Dickens seemed to have caught a glimpse at the man in the shadow because he let out a soft yell, not loud enough to carry out, but enough to make John step back.

"My dear boy," he said sympathetically, "What happened to you?"

John let out a low moan. West Dickens seemed to have noticed the problem right away.

"Ah, you cannot speak. Hold on, hold on I think I have something back here that will help you." He climbed down his carriage and walked around back. "Ah ha! Here we are!" he walked back around with a bottle of his famous Elixir. "Here you are my boy, drink up!"

John took the bottle and gave Dickens a look.

"Go on," he assured, "down the hatch, as they say."

John resentfully took a huge gulp, coughing roughly.

"Dammit West Dickens!" he shouted, "I swore I would never drink that shit!"

"But Mr. Marston, it worked! Don't you see, or hear?"

John did hear his voice, but he was still decayed and rotten.

Dickens seemed to have read John's mind because he grabbed a bandana from in his carriage and threw it to John. "Wear this," he told him, "Cover your face, don't take it off unless you have a death wish."

"I may just do that," John said. "Thanks Mr. West Dickens."

"Now, if you need anymore assistance from me, Mr. Marston, you can find me in Mexico."

"Well, take care of yourself Mr. West Dickens."

"Ah, take care in knowing, John, I shall be well taken care of!" He gave John a bow and jumped up onto his carriage. "So long John, you have been a good friend to me for the past couple of months."

"So long Mr. West Dickens. Thanks for the gift of speech!"

And with that, Nigel West Dickens rode off into the sunset, heading...

"That crazy fool is going the the wrong way," John said, laughing. The carriage turned around and headed back toward John.

"A minor set back, my dear boy," Nigel called to him. "But luckily I found my compass!"

John laughed as his good friend rode off in the _right_ direction.

John jumped onto his horse and rode into town. His horse galloped onto the stone street, people stared as he rode past. He hitched his horse outside the saloon, and walked inside. He looked around, fully aware that the bandana was doing it's job, he walked up to the bartender and the bartender looked up at John. Luckily the bar was cleared out because he was about to let out a scream, up close people could see the upper half of John's face, he forgot about that. John acted quick, he jumped over the bar and tackled the bartender. He gagged him and tied him up.

"Listen to me friend," John told him. "I'm not one of those cannibals, I'm just a little scarred."

The man looked like he understood, and John told him, "Now listen, I'm gunna take the gag out of your mouth, but if you scream its going back in, got it?"

The man nodded, and when John took the gag out of his mouth he asked, "Who are you?"

John thought maybe he should tell him his name, but he figured that would be a bad move. So he just said, "I can't tell ya my name. But I just need to ask you a simple question."

"Alright," the barkeep said.

"Do you know where Edgar Ross is?"

"Mr. Ross? Well I hear he's retired. I think he lives down on Lake Don Julio."

"Thanks friend," John said, cutting his bonds.

John turned to leave when the bartender said, "John." John turns slowly.

"How..." John started but was cut across.

"I know all about your history with Ross," the Bartender told him, "I don't know how are why you were given a soul, you should be a brainless flesh-eater like the rest of them, but I don't care, just go and find peace. Just remember, revenge isn't always the answer."

"Yeah, well, he deserves to be killed, brought back and shot again for what he did to me," John said. Leaving the bar.

He was getting on his horse when the Barkeeper came running out.

"Hey John," he said reaching into his back pocket. "Take this," he through John a hat. "You can hide your face better."

"Thanks," John said, putting the hat firmly on his head. And he turned his horse away from the bar and rode off, heading toward Lake Don Julio.

John rode hard and long, growing tired he stopped off at MacFarlane's Ranch. It was dark, so he didn't think anyone would notice him slipping in, but when he got there he found the ranch overrun with the undead. John slowly made his way through the ranch. He pulled out his cattleman revolver and looked around. If the undead saw him they didn't show it. They walked past him absently, and even as he shot one in the head they didn't attack him.

"This is odd," he said to himself, meanwhile there were gunshots in the distance and he saw someone on top of a building shooting at the undead as they tried to climb up.

"Damn," he heard from a familiar voice, "These bastards are smarter than last time!"

John rode up to the building where the woman who saved his life all those months ago was making a stand against the horde of undead. He got off his horse and climbed the building.

"Need some help there Ms. MacFarlane?" John asked, shooting a Retcher as it charged up a goop spit ball.

"Mr. Marston is that you?" Bonnie asked picking off five more undead.

"Yes ma'am," John said, shooting six undead then switching to his explosive rifle.

"Well, I sure can use some help thank you very much."

"Say, where is everyone? I am sure there were more livin' people last time I was here savin' your ass."

"Well, your shootin' them Mr. Marston."

"You're all that's left?"

"Yup, I was gettin' ready to just jump down there and let them kill me before you showed up."

"Well," John said smirking behind his bandana, "sorry for interupting your suicide attempt."

Bonnie laughed, "it's not a problem."

By the end of the night they had killed every last undead in the ranch. They jumped down from the roof and walked to Bonnie's house.

"Listen John," Bonnie said, "Do you want to come in for a drink?"

"Sorry Ms. MacFarlane, but i have to get some rest."

"Alright," she said, "where you headed anyway? I'd think your family is okay now?"

"Yeah, they are. But I'm just lookin' for Edgar Ross."

"That government man that kidnapped your family? Why do you wanna find him?"

"Its a long story Ms. MacFarlane, I really can't get into it right now."

"Alright, and call me Bonnie for God's sake!"

"Well, if I don't see you tomorrow, have a good life Bonnie." John turned and walk away, heading towards his house on the ranch.

When he got in he shut the door behind him, locking it he removed his hat and bandana and laid down to sleep.

_Gun shots rang out in the night._

_ "I did as you asked! Leave me alone!" John yelled, firing at the U.S soldiers that are storming his ranch._

_ He hears his son's voice, "Uncle!"_

_ He hears Uncles's last words, "Take your family and get out of here, forget about me."_

_ He tells his family to leave, "Go on, get, don't come back, Jack watch after your mother."_

_ "Yes pa," Jack said. John smacked the horse's rear end and it ran off._

_ John turns to the front of the barn, and walks over to it. He peers through the crack between the two doors, he sees Edgar Ross and his partner Archer Fordham in the front center of over 50 U.S soldiers. John takes a deep breathe, and shoves the door open. He takes aim and shot 6 men, one of whom is Fordham. The soldiers all fire and John takes all of the bullets without falling. After a second, John falls to one knee, Ross walks over to John and puts his gun to John's head..._

John woke with a start as the bang of the bullet went off in his mind. Still echoing through his mind as he gets on his pale horse and rode off into the rising sun.

Bonnie stopped by John's house when she woke up.

_Gone_, she thought, she sighed. She had become very fond of John within the few months she had known him. 'Course she knew he would never have gone for her, after all he was married. He had gone through hell and back to save his wife and son _twice_.

She made John's bed, and shut the door. She started back toward her house when she heard galloping. She turned to see a young boy riding toward her.

"Hey there, Ms. MacFarlane," he greeted her, god how much he resembled his father.

"Hello Jack," She said with a nod. "How are you doing?"

"Not too good," he told her, "we haven't talked in a while so i doubt you heard about my pa being shot down and killed."

She was shocked, shot and killed? Not John, surely not John.

"What do you mean?" she asked remembering the day before. "I just saw him yesterday."

Jack looked puzzled, "But... but he's been dead for two months," he explained. He looked around, there were dead bodies everywhere. "Ms. MacFarlane, what happened here?"

"The undead have rose again I'm afraid," she said. Her and Jack looked up at each other at the same time knowing what happened. "But I don't understand," she said when Jack said John was an undead. "I mean, these things can't talk, ride horses, or shoot a gun, and John did all of that!"

"Maybe... maybe his soul isn't at rest," Jack said, "Did he say anything to you when you saw him?"

"He said he had to find Edgar Ross, you know the mad man who took you from him."

"And the man who killed him." Jack said.

_Its a long story Ms. MacFarlane, I really can't get into it right now._

Bonnie knew now why he was looking for that bastard.

"I have to go find him," Jack said.

"Don't be a fool," Bonnie told him. "You won't last a week out there on your own."

Jack seemed to think for a minute, "Why don't you come with me?"

Bonnie was shocked, "you want me to help you find your father?"

"Well sure, I mean it doesn't look like you have much to do here."

Bonnie looked around, she never really explored much of New Austin.

"Alright," she said, "Let's go find John Marston."


	2. Bar fights and blockades

John made his way to Armadillo, where he would stay the night, then he would head south to Lake Don Julio. He got to Armadillo to find it in ruin. People were screaming, buildings on fire, undead wreaking havoc all over the town. He spurred his horse and hitched it up in front of the Sheriff's office. He walked in to find Marshal Johnson grabbing his guns, when he turned he looked at John long and hard.

"Hey there Marshal," John said, "Need some help?"

"John?" Johnson said, "I... I don't get it, your son came by tellin' me you were dead!" His eyes narrowed, he lifted his gun to John's head. "John, lower your bandana and remove your hat."

John pulled his hat off, and pulled his bandana down.

"Good God almighty," he muttered, lowering his gun, "John, what happened to you?"

"Well," John started, "as you can see I'm an undead freak with a soul."

"But, how? Why?"

"Don't ask me, I just want revenge on the son of a bitch that killed me."

"Well, good luck John, just do me a favor?"

"And what is that Marshal?" John asked.

"Don't eat my citizens," Marshal said with a great laugh. "I'm just messin' with ya John, but can you get rid of the undead for me?"

"Yeah, no problem," John said, "And I'll make sure that when I come back as a cannibal, your the first person I come after."

"Oh, well I am just so god damn honored," Marshal said with a chuckle.

John walked outside after putting his effects back on. He pulled out his blunderbuss and took aim at a group of undead. He fired and the lot of them exploded. A survivor looked over at John as he lowered his weapon, nodded his thanks and moved onto another group of undead. John looked around, he couldn't leave the world in ruin, not when he is the only person that can stop it. But if he put the mask back in the alter, then he wouldn't have the chance to get revenge on Ross, he would take care of Ross first if he didn't think the world was in need of help right now. Plus there was no guarantee his soul would stay in his body after he killed Ross. John made up his mind, the lives of everyone on this planet was more important than his redemption. After the last undead was dead he got on his horse and was just about to leave for Mexico when a man walked up to him.

"Excuse me," he said, "You're the one who took out all these undead right?"

"That'd be me mister," John said.

"Well, I just wanted to thank you on behalf of the men and women here in Armadillo."

"It's not a problem sir, but I must be goin'," John spurred his horse and the man yelled for him.

"Sir, sir, please. We could really use you here!"

"Mister, I happen to be goin' down to Mexico to put an end of this apocalypse. So please, leave me to do my work." and with that John rode off, leaving the man to watch him go.

* * *

Later that day, Jack and Bonnie rode into the town of Armadillo, they stopped at the bar to get some answers. Bonnie grabbed some drinks while Jack went over to a table of men to ask if they had seen his pa, 'course he wouldn't be saying the name of the man they were looking for, if word got out John Marston was alive the government would be searching all of New Austin for him.

The men looked up at Jack as he walked up. "'Scuse me gentlemen," Jack said, sitting down in an empty seat, "but have you seen a man wearin' a hat much like your's," he gestured to the man across from him, "and a bandana like this," he pulled out a bandana much like the one John was wearing.

The men glared at Jack like he was scum. Jack shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Then there was a hand on his shoulder.

"You seem to be in my seat boy," came a deep, very deep voice. Jack turned very slowly to see a man three times his size.

"Oh," was all Jack could say.

"Well?" the man barked. "You gunna get up boy-o?"

"Uh, yeah! Of course, heh heh," Jack started to rise and clumsily knocked a beer over and it spilled onto the man's shoe. "My mama made these shoes for me on her death bed," he said, grabbing Jack by the collar and lifting him up off the ground.

"Uh, mister," Jack stammered, "Please, I-I'm really handy when it comes to washin' clothin' and stuff and I, uh, I could wash that right out of your shoe!"

"The only thing you'll be washin', is the blood outta your shirt!" the man roar and shoved Jack down on the table, breaking him through it. Bonnie noticed and pulled her revolver out of it's holster and aimed at the monstrous man. When she did, the man's friends jumped up and aimed their guns at Bonnie, meanwhile everyone in the bar stared.

"Now, missy," one of the men said, "just put the gun down, no one has to get hurt other than the pipsqueak."

Just then Marshal Johnson came through the door with his rifle two men, probably new deputies, who were aiming their guns at the men.

There were seven guns, Bonnie's, the three men, and the lawmen. The lawmen had their guns on the three men, the three men had moved their aim to the lawmen, and Bonnie's gun was on the big man.

"Now," Marshal said, "why don't we all just put the guns down and talk about this?"

"No can do Marshal," the men holding a gun to Bonnie said, "Not until this woman puts her gun away."

"Ms. MacFarlane," the Marshal started.

"No can do Marshal," Bonnie cut across him. "Not until this giant gets away from Jack."

"Uh, sir," Marshal said. "Away from the boy if you please."

The monster man stepped away and stood behind his friends. Bonnie lowered her gun, thinking the men were going to as well. Then one man shot and the whole bar sounded like a the 4th of July. Tables were flipped and people were shooting left and right. Jack had gotten up and leaped over the bar and was now picking off men.

"Ms. MacFarlane!" he called, "Where are ya ma'am?"

"Over here Jack," he heard. He peered over the side of the bar and saw Bonnie stuggling to fight one of the men. Jack concentrated and took in a breath, held it and fired. The man's brains splattered against the wall and Bonnie grabbed her gun and jumped over the bar.

"Nice shot," She said to Jack.

"Thanks," Jack said, "I was aimin' for his waist."

Bonnie gave him a look of total fear. Jack smirked and stood up and shot a man trying to sneak up of Marshal Johnson. Johnson turned to see Jack and nodded. Jack turned to see the behemoth man grabbing men and throwing them out windows. He pulled a stick of dynamite and lit it. He was just about to throw it when a chair, launched at him when a man was flung at the table, hit him and he fell over, the stick of dynamite landed under a table with gas, alcohol, and oil sitting on it. Jack looked at Bonnie and they were thinking the same thing. Bonnie ran out the door and Jack ran and grabbed Johnson and jumped out of a nearby window.

"What in sam hills are you doing damn it," Johnson shouted.

"Marshal get up," Jack shrieked.

"What?"

Jack grabbed the Marshal and dragged him to his feet and sprinted away. Johnson ran with him and just as the rounded a corner there was a deafening BOOM and the whole town shook violently.

"Jesus Christ!" Johnson shouted.

They all looked around the corner, the bar was completely destroyed and the buildings next to it were on fire.

"Son of a _bitch_," Johnson roared. "What the hell!" he turned to Jack and Bonnie who were huddled on the ground together. "You two! What the hell was that all about!"

Jack got up and wiped the dirt off his clothes.

"Well you see Marshal," Jack started. "I'm tryin' to find my pa. And we decided the saloon was the best place to ask around. I went to ask the gentlemen who were shooting at us if they'd seen him and they just glared, then the big guy said i was in his spot and when I tried to get up i knocked his drink over on his feet. He got mad, shouted somethin' 'bout his mama and threw me down on the table. Then Ms. MacFarlane here put her gun on him and then the men put their's on her. Then you came in, and you know what happens after that."

The Marshal looked at Jack, "So you know your Pa's back then don'ttcha?"

"Yessir," Jack told him.

"Well i hear he went on down to Lake Don Julio to look for his killer." Johnson told him.

Just then a man came running up to them and look at Jack.

"Well," he said, "I hear you're lookin' for a man wearin' a hat and a bandana? 'Bout the Marshal's height?"

"Uh," Jack started, "yeah, you seen him mister?"

"That I did, said he was goin' to Mexico to put an end to this undead thing."

The Marshal looked at the man, "And how do you know this man?" he asked.

"Saved my life, he did," the man explained, "I was bein' attack by a monster and he shot the sommbitch."

Jack looked at Bonnie, and then back at the two men, "Thank you," he said and he grabbed Bonnie and ran around front. Their horses had heard the gunshots and forced the ropes off of the hitching post. They ran after the horses, ready to ride down to Mexico.

* * *

John was already in Rio Bravo and was heading south toward the border when he heard a faint explosion. He looked around and saw smoke in the far off distance.

"That looks like its comin' from Armadillo," he said to himself, but he continued forward.

He rode hard and long until he reached a blocked bridge. He go off his horse and walked up to it.

"Dammit," he said under his breath. He started to tear the boards off the blockade, throwing them into the water below. He finally got the last board down a few hours later and got back on his horse and rode across, cautiously, just to find another blockade.

"Son of a bitch," he moaned. Getting back off his horse he got the boards down. He got back on his horse as the son started to rise and rode off the bridge he started west towards the capital, Punta Orgullo. Prepared to go back into the hole he had come out of two months ago to find the undead... not so dead anymore. Although, what he didn't know was that all that time he spent tearing down the blockade gave Jack and Bonnie and advantage, they were already crossing the bridge into Mexico.

* * *

"You sure you know where you're goin' Jack?" Bonnie called.

"Yeah," Jack called back over his shoulder, "Pa told me the story hundreds of times, he went into this Aztec tomb underneath the Capital building here in Mexico."

"Well i hope we catch up with him soon," Bonnie said. "I don't know if my rear can take anymore of this ridin'!"

"That's a little too much information for me Ms. MacFarlane," Jack called back with a laugh.

"Please," she called back, "and for God's sake call me Bonnie! Your as stubborn as your father when it comes to callin' me by my first name."

"Er, alright, Bonnie. Hey... hey what's that?" he said, pointing ahead. There was a strange white horse with a mist emitting from it on the side of the pathway. They sped toward it, ready to investigate.

John walked out from behind the cactus, buttoning his pants. Out of all the things he was glad hadn't decomposed his crotch was one of them. He was just climbing up onto his horse when he heard galloping from behind him. He turned to see two horses, one holding a young man, the other a young woman.

"Pa!" the boy shouted.

"J-Jack?" John yelled, stunned. The two horses pulled up next to him. "Jack, what hell are you doin' here boy?"

"I came to look for you Pa!" he told him. "Me and Bonnie were worried about you an' all."

"Oh come now John," Bonnie said, "Surely you must be happy to see your boy?"

"Yeah," John said, "but I don't want him to be out here, its dangerous!"

"I can handle myself Pa," Jack said, "I made my way all the way to Bonnie's ranch without gettin' killed or bitten."

"Well, now you seen me," John said, "Now go home, I have to end this madness."

"If I go now then who will get your body back to your grave huh?"

"Jack, go home!"

"No!"

John stared at his son, never, _never_, had he ever said no to him before.

"Jack... did you just say no?"

"Yes Pa i did, i am not leaving you, so just suck it up, get on your horse and lets go to Punta Orgullo!"

"John," Bonnie said, "Let's just go, i can protect him."

John looked at Bonnie, "Fine," he said. "Let's go then."

They all got back on their horses and rode west, toward the capital of mexico.


	3. The Prices we pay will be rewarded

Punta Orgullo was in even worse shape than the last time John was here. They rode in and were attacked by a horde of undead. Of course, they only attacked Jack and Bonnie but John still fought. He pulled out his Boom Bait and threw it across the road and the undead all charged around it and stood there for a minute.

"John what..." Bonnie started but just then the dynamite exploded and there was a cloud of blood.

John motioned them forward and the started up the hillside city. There were some undead but they killed them as they rode, not wanting to stop. They got up to the palace and went up and around to the back. They went into the hole and walked.

"So," John said, wanting to talk to his son before he passed to the other side again. "Did you guys hear that explosion from Armadillo?"

Jack and Bonnie looked at each other and Bonnie stifled a laugh.

"Uhh, well," Jack said, embarrassed. "Seein' as how I kinda, you know, caused it... yeah I heard it." At that John stopped and looked at his son.

"You blew up Armadillo?"

"Well, technically just the bar..." Jack said, looking at his feet.

"Dammit Jack... what did you do?"

So Jack told his father all about the bar fight and the table of very flammable objects.

"I mean," he said, "who puts all those things together on one table!"

John laugh, "Welcome to America son, people aren't the smartest here."

"You can say that again," Jack muttered.

They came to a stop, John was looking around the tunnel. Then he fell to the ground and started to writhe and twitch.

"Pa!" Jack yelled.

"Jack!" he shouted. "Get back! I can't control my body!" He stood and started walking over to his son. "Quick! Get to the end of the tunnel and put that mask back on the altar!"

"Jack!" Bonnie shrieked. Jack looked back and saw arms coming from the wall and ground. Jack grabbed Bonnie's hand and they sprinted down the tunnel. They ran, avoiding arms and teeth, while John chased them against his own free will.

"Bonnie," Jack yelled, "Don't stop runnin' whatever you do!" They came to an open room and there they looked around, trying to find a way out of this.

"Jack!" he heard his father yell. "The mask! There on the ground"

Jack saw it, he ran for it and dived. He tried to pull it up but it seemed to be stuck.

"Bonnie," Jack called, "Gimme a hand here!" Bonnie ran over and pulled with Jack when they got it free they saw there was a body attached. Bonnie screamed and fell over and Jack stepped back as the body swung it's arm at him. "What the hell?" he said softly.

"Seth!" John yelled as he limped over to Bonnie, "Seth you dumb fool! Get that mask off your face and put it on the altar!"

Seth looked at John, and a demonic voice came from his mouth, "No way Jose! Hehe! Immortality is mine! All mine!"

"Seth! Damn you!" John yelled, "Jack you have to get the mask off his face!"

Jack punched at Seth but Seth took the blow and stood straight again.

"Sorry sonny!" he said with a giggle and he threw Jack into one of the four pillars behind him.

Seth started to walk towards Jack. John on the other hand was starting to gain control of his body again. He got control of his arm and he brought it up to his mouth and let out a whistle before he lost control. Seth looked over at John, giving Jack the opportunity to jump up and yank the mask off his face. It was a horrible sight, his face was decomposed beyond belief and his teeth were gone along with his lips. Seth yelled and kicked Jack. Then there was gunshot and Seth felt a bullet hit his head, but it didn't pierce his skin.

"Hoohoohoo!" he laughed, turning to see Bonnie pointing her rifle at him. "It's too late! I am immortal forever! HEHEHE!" He started to dance like an old prospector, giggling all the while. Jack saw bodies beginning to drop as their heads exploded and saw what was happening. He ran to get out of the way just in time. Seth had just turned to the tunnel hole and saw the horse. The pale horse trampled Seth and his head exploded into a million pieces, causing the tunnel to shake, rocks started falling. John had gained control of his body and he turned to Jack.

"Son," he yelled, holding out his hands. "throw me the mask and get on that horse with Bonnie and go!" Jack threw the mask to his father and jumped on the horse with Bonnie, Jack looked at his father.

"GO!" John yelled.

Jack spurred the horse and sped off, walls caving in, he took a glimpse behind him and had enough time to see his father put the mask on the altar when a rock had collapsed over the exit. He turned his attention back to the tunnel and continued to ride. He could hear Bonnie's faint sobs as he rode and the horse jumped out of the cave just in time before the whole palace collapsed in on itself. The horse collapsed and Jack and Bonnie were thrown off. The got up to see undead turning back into the living. Jack helped Bonnie up and then turned to the temple. It was a pile of rubble.

Jack felt a tear build up in his eyes, and a hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at Bonnie to see she was already crying. Jack walked over to the horse. It was still alive and it stood up and looked him in the eyes. Jack heard a voice. It said:

_Jack Marston, your father was a noble man with an even nobler heart. He could have gone to kill Edgar Ross and leave the world to perish, but instead he came here to end it all, even if it meant he would never be at peace. What led him to this decision was you and your mother. He could not let you grow up in a world of undead. And thanks to him the world is safe from an undead future, the chamber is hidden under hundreds of feet of rock._

Jack broke the contact he had with the horse and looked up in the air as a bright green light shot up into the air. It was a firework, people were already celebrating. Jack couldn't blame them, but all he wanted was to go home and rest. So he and Bonnie got onto the horse and rode off, heading home. Along the way they stopped by Armadillo to see Marshal Johnson, told him what happened, and headed back home. They arrived at MacFarlane's ranch and Jack stopped the horse in front of Bonnie's house.

"Jack," she said as she got down off the horse. "Why don't you come inside for a drink? And you can rest here and head home in the morning." Jack looked at her and she gave him a flirtatious wink and started toward her house. Hastily, Jack hitched his horse to the hitching post and ran in to meet her. The door shut, and stayed shut for the whole night.

John woke up on the ground in the chamber. Laying next to the altar where the mask lay. There was someone else in here with him and he looked around to see the woman he had seen the first time he stopped the undead.

"Ayauhtéotl isn't it?" he asked.

"Si, Mr. Marston," she said with a nod. "Your son is safe," she added. "Safe in the arms of a beautiful woman."

"Heh," John said, getting up. "Boy takes after old man."

"John," Ayauhtéotl said, "You have sacrificed a great thing."

"Yeah?" he asked, "And what is that?"

"You chose to save world rather than get redemption from the man who killed you. That was a great sacrifice." John looked down at his feet. Then something caught his eye, his hands weren't decomposed. He ripped off the bandana from his face and felt his smooth skin, well smooth besides the scar on his face.

"I ain't all, dead anymore," he commented.

"That is correct," the Aztec Goddess told him. "You have been given a second chance at this life. To live it with your family, as a thank you."

"How am I gunna get out of here then?" John asked.

"I will take care of that," Ayauhtéotl said, and next thing he knew, John was outside his house alone.

"Abigail!" he yelled running into the house.

**The End**


End file.
